Bob Geldof is terrified of blood and found the razor blade scene extremely difficult to film. He was only supposed to shave his eyebrows. Feeling himself seized by the role, he improvised the scene and shaved his entire body. This scene was inspired by Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett (as was much of the album), who became mentally ill and left the band in the late 1960s. According to the band, Barrett once left a crowded dinner party, went home, shaved his head, and went back, behaving as though it was the most normal thing in the world. Some of the people who were close to Syd during his decline had to leave the theater during the scene, because they found it so disturbing.
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
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Fan of The Sunshine Boys or just want to share your movie knowledge? This topic is dedicated to all trivia and questions related to The Sunshine Boys
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When George Burns won the Oscar, at his acceptance speech he said: "This is all so exciting. I've decided to keep making one movie every thirty-six years. You get to be new again." Later Burns added, "I'm thinking of taking on Gentile roles and becoming the new Robert Redford."
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Based on the lives and careers of vaudeville comics Joe Smith and Charles Dale (né Sultzer and Marks). Unlike the characters in the Broadway play and later film, Smith and Dale were almost inseparable friends. In fact, when Dale died in 1971, Smith commissioned a single tombstone to be prepared for them both, ordering that the inscription read "Smith and Dale". The pair's strained relationship is based on another old-time vaudeville duo, Gallagher and Shean, the latter of whom was Groucho Marx's uncle.
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One of three Neil Simon-written films on which actor, producer, and director Richard Benjamin worked. Benjamin co-starred in this movie, produced and directed The Goodbye Girl (2004), and Laughter on the 23rd Floor (2001).
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The amount of time that Al Lewis and Willy Clark worked together was forty-three years.
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Woody Allen originally was asked to direct, but he was more interested in playing the role of Lewis and declined the offer. He was cast as Lewis in The Sunshine Boys (1996).
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"The Sunshine Boys" play opened in London's West End on May 17, 2012, and ran for twelve weeks until July 28, 2012. It starred Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths. The season was DeVito's West End debut.
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First feature film for George Burns for thirty-six years. Burns had not appeared in a movie since Honolulu (1939). This movie was considered Burns' comeback movie, the comeback being considered one of the most significant ever in Hollywood film history.
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Jack Benny was signed for the role of Al Lewis. Ill health forced Benny to back out of the project, due to being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Benny recommended his friend George Burns to replace him.
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Walter Matthau replaced Red Skelton and George Burns replaced Jack Benny.
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George Burns turned up at rehearsals having learned the entire film script by heart. Burns figured that this would make it harder for the producers to fire him if they wanted to.
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One of around a half-a-dozen Neil Simon written films which have been re-adapted. The others being Plaza Suite (1971), The Odd Couple (1968), The Goodbye Girl (1977), The Heartbreak Kid (1972), Barefoot in the Park (1967), and The Out of Towners (1970).
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The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Walter Matthau, George Burns, and F. Murray Abraham.
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At the age of eighty George Burns became the oldest Oscar winning actor when he won for this movie. This record was broken by Jessica Tandy in 1990, and later by Christopher Plummer in 2012.
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Jack Albertson was nominated for the 1973 Tony Award (New York City) for Actor in a Drama for "The Sunshine Boys" for his portrayal of Willie Clark.
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Sam Levene as Lewis and Jack Albertson as Clark originated the roles on Broadway. In the play's long run, they were later replaced with Lou Jacobi as Lewis and Jack Gilford as Clark.
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Bob Hope and Bing Crosby were touted to play the lead roles, but writer Neil Simon disagreed and maintained that the leads should be played by Jewish comedians. Several actors were considered for the leads in the movie including Phil Silvers and Groucho Marx. The picture was actually cast with real-life Vaudeville veterans Jack Benny and Red Skelton, bizarrely, both had to be replaced. The film was finally cast with George Burns and Walter Matthau.
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Alan Arkin directed Neil Simon's "The Sunshine Boys" on the Broadway stage. Arkin starred in Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1972) on-screen.
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The stage play has been adapted four times for German television, in 1982, 1995, 1999, and 2001. Each time it was known as "Sonny Boys". Neil Simon's "The Sunshine Boys" was first re-adapted with The Sunshine Boys (1977).
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Neil Simon's "The Sunshine Boys" is the most often filmed feature of Simon's work having being filmed seven times, once for the cinema (this movie), with six remakes, with these all for television. The remakes are The Sunshine Boys (1977), The Sunshine Boys (1996), Sonny Boys (1982), Sonny Boys (1995), Sonny Boys (1999), and Sonny Boys (2001).
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
The Sunshine Boys - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts
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